24.08J | Spring 2009 | Undergraduate

Philosophical Issues in Brain Science

Course Description

This course provides an introduction to important philosophical questions about the mind, specifically those that are intimately connected with contemporary psychology and neuroscience. Are our concepts innate or are they acquired by experience? And what does it even mean to call a concept 'innate'? Are 'mental images' …
This course provides an introduction to important philosophical questions about the mind, specifically those that are intimately connected with contemporary psychology and neuroscience. Are our concepts innate or are they acquired by experience? And what does it even mean to call a concept ‘innate’? Are ‘mental images’ pictures in the head? Is color in the mind or in the world? Is the mind nothing more than the brain? Can there be a science of consciousness? The course includes guest lectures by philosophers and cognitive scientists.
Learning Resource Types
Exams
Lecture Notes
Lecture Videos
Written Assignments
The photo is an illustration of the brain. It shows that certain brain areas have specific functions which in turn control personality traits.
An illustration of brain areas that have localized and specific functions. These are responsible for various personality traits of a person. (This image is in the public domain.)